Rope-lock for trunks, crates, and the like.



v J. J. A. MILLER.

ROPE LOOK FOR TRUNKS, CBATES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.24.1913.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

P. villi/flvllllllrrdlzllllrir Q iihh- LOLUAEIA I'LANOGRAPH coWASHINGTON. n. L.

JOHN J. A. MILLER,-OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ROPE LOCK FOR TRUNKS, CRATES, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented'Feb. 24, 1914.

Application filed March 24. 1913. Serial No. 756,551.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN J. A. MILLER, acitizen of the United States of America, residing in the city and countyof Denver and. State of Colorado, have invented a new and usefulRope-Lock for Trunks, Crates, and the like, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in trunk and box and packageholding and locking ropes, and the objects of my invention are: Toprovide a fastening rope for trunks, crates and the like, to one end ofwhich is secured an improved locking device, by which the rope may besecurely clamped and held after being drawn around the sides and ends ofthe trunk or crate in the usual manner. trunk fastening ropes,comprising a casing having a grooved pulley and a friction clampadjacent thereto, a rope being fastened in one side of said casing,adapted to be passed around the trunk and into the opposite side of thecasing, and out through the adjacent end of the casing, whence it islooped around the trunk at right angles to the first loop, and passedover and around the said pulley, and is held under tension by thefriction clamp, which holds the rope between itself and the pulley so asto prevent accidental loosening of the same. v l

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trunk showing the same secured by arope having an improved locking device which forms the subject of thepresent invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the lock. Fig. 3 is acentral longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a front viewof the lock with the cover removed, and showing the manner in which therope is clamped and held, after being drawn around the trunk, as shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side view of the lock, with the rope clampremoved, and showing the corner folded back in dotted lines. And Fig. 6is a perspective view of the locking wedge.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings,The numeral 1 designates the lock portion ofmy trunk, box and package holding and locking rope. This lock portioncomprises a casing 3,

Further, to provide a lock for which is which'consists of a back 4, sideportions 5 and end portions 6 and 7, each of which, as well as eachside, is provided with a projecting lug 8. The back 4 and sides 5 andthe two ends 6 and 7 are stamped out in the form of a fiat blank fromsheet iron or other suitable metal and then the ends and sides are bentup at right angles to the back. A round pin 9 projects from the insideof the back portion of the back, to whichit is secured and projectstothe top of the sides of thefcasing, and a pulley 10 is mountedrotatively on this pin, which is provided with an enlarged head portion11,-that holds the pulley on the pin9. The'face of thispulley isconcaved to receive a rope andits surface is preferably serratedorknurled to cause the rope to cling to it without slipping thereon, aseasily as it would if the face of the pulley was smooth. 'Inone side ofthe end of the lock, an aperture 13 is formed in which one end of a rope14, extends, the end of which is tied into a knot 15, which restsinsideof the end-and against the inside wall of the lock..- This ropel4is made of any predetermined lengthland it is looped and its oppositeend. ispassed through two apertures 16 and '17, on the opposite side ofthe end 12 of the lock. Between the'pulley and the tail end-18 of thelock a flat pin 19. is formed on the back of the lock and projectstherefrom to close to the top edges of the adjacent sides of the lock.This pin forms an abutment for a keeper 21, which forces the ropeagainst its edge as will be presently described. On the open'side of thelook I place acover 24. This cover may be mounted on the lock. and besecured thereto if desired, in any suitable manner. I preferably,however, hinge one end oft-he cover to the edge of thehousing thatcovers the knotted end of the rope and arrange the cover with anoverhanging lip 25 which extends over andfits tight enough. closely onthe sides of the lock and is secured in place by a lug '26 which is outfree from the cover and extends down andiscurved to engage a curved endportion formed on the end of the abutment lug 19, with a sliding andspringing fit as the two curved portions engage and the one on, thecover slides on and over the other,

thus forming a spring catch.

The keeper 21 comprises a sliding rope key wedge that is positionedalong the inside edge of one side of the lock, and a hand grasping endportion 29 at one end of the key that is bent at substantially right angles to the rope key and extends through and beyond the side of thelock. The oppositeiend portion of the, keeper is reduced to 5 a neckportion 31, and is bent to one side and extends through an oblong slot32, in which it is slidably mounted and the terminal'end portion of thisend of-the rope key is provided with an enlarged head portion 34, whichbears on the outside ofthe adjacent side of the-lock and secures the keyslidably in the slot 32 and in the lock. The rope engaging" surface ofthe key is serrated orotherwise knurled to enable it to grip into therope. This rope key is slidably mounted opposite to one side of thepulley in such a position that its heel portion85 can be moved inwardlytoward the pulley and then slidtoward the pulley and grip in adecreasing wedge-like space the rope both between the pulley and theadjacent edge of the flat spring pin, thus securing -it against slippingbackward after it has beentightened around a trunk or box or-a package.,7 v a r h The operation is as follows: The rope is looped around atrunk or box. or a package and then the cover of thelock isthrown I 1back'and'the end of the rope is passedin the open side 36 of thelockaround the pulley and then between the pulley and the wedge key andthe fixed fiat pin and then the free end ofthe rope is" drawn tight astheoperator can pull it aroundthepulley, then :before the operatorreleases the rope he grasps the fingergrasping portion of the wedge keywith one hand and forces the wedge key against the rope, jamming therope against the edge of the flat pin and at the same time that hereleases the pull on the rope'he pushes the wedge toward the pulley,thus wedging'the rope between the edge of the pin and also the sideofthe pulley, and securing it in a tightened position against accidental.slipping movement and loosening of the rope. 7 7 lVhile I havepreferably illustrated a rope as thetrunk or other tying member, myinvention contemplates the use of a strap also.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is v 1; In a device as specified, the combination ofa easing .a pulley therein'and a manually sliding rope wed ing key, anabutment pin mountedin said casing adjacent to said pulley, with a ropesecured-at one [end to said casing and arranged to be placed around saidpulley and alongside of said fixed pin, and arranged and adapted to bewedged against said abutment pin and said pulley and to be lockedthereto against accidental loosening movement.

2. In a device as specified, the combination of a lock casing having arope secured at one end to one corner of one end of said lock, saidcasing being provided at the opposite corner of its end where one end ofsaid rope is secured, with a pair of apertures through which the freeend of said rope is extended, a pulley in said casing and a fixed pin,with a rope keying wedge comprisin a thin strip of metal having one endslidabIy mounted in said casing, and a finger grasplng portion at itsopposite end,

said rope keying wedge being secured to said casing, and arranged to bemoved at its finger grasping end toward said fixed pin and pu ley and tostand at a wedging angle thereto and to engage a rope placed betweensaid key and said pulley and said fixed pin and then to be moved towardsaid pulley to wedge said rope between it and said pin and pulley, and asuitable cover hinged to said casing.

3. In a trunk tying rope lock, the combination with a rope, of a lockcomprising a casing having a back and side portions, said rope beingsecured at one end to one corner of said lock, the said same end of saidlock to which said .rope is secured being provided with a pair ofapertures spaced a short distance apart, arranged to receive said ropeand through which said rope extends thereby forming a loop of rope, saidrope having its free end extending from said apertures, a pulley mountedin said casing at a short distance from the end of said lock where saidropes are secured, a fixed pin in said look at a short distance fromsaid pulley, past which said rope extends, and a manually operated wedgeshaped key slidably mounted in said lock adjacent to one side of'saidpulley and said fixed pin and arranged and adapted to be moved towedgingly clamp said rope against the adjacent side of said fixed pinand the adjacent side of said pulley, and a cover arranged to house saidpulley and rope locking key in said casing.

y In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN J. A. MILLER.

Witnesses: A

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, ADELLA M. FOWLE.

7 Copies of this patent may neob tained for five cents each, byaddressing the f Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

